Improvisation for Freddie Hubbard (detail)

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Freddie Hubbard," [detail], 2008, acyclic on canvas, 16
x 20".

Poison Rat R. vs. Kenji Siratori CD Artwork, One More

Mirror Shot

T. Renner, "Mirror Shot," 2008, digital photo.

Ice

T. Renner, "Ice #1, #2,", 2008, digital photographs.

Four Improvisations for Derek Bailey

T. Renner, "Improvisations for Derek Bailey #'s 1-4" 2008, acrylic on coated card stock, 7" x 5".

December 25, 2008, marked the third anniversary of the passing of the great guitarist Derek Bailey.

You can click here to listen to four tracks from ANAGRAMS, my tribute to Bailey.

You can click here to read more about Bailey.

Improvisation for the Art Ensemble of Chicago

T. Renner, "Improvisation for the Art Ensemble of Chicago," 2008, acrylic on paper, 7" x 5".

Self-Portrait (Cubist)

T. Renner, "Self-Portrait (Cubist)," 2008, acrylic on coated card stock, 4.75" x 7".

3 Artists Upstairs at the Stable

T. Renner, "Assemblage for Charlie Haden," 2008, acrylic, tape on paper, 11" x 11".

Just a reminder that I've got six new pieces hanging in the "gallery" located on the second floor of The Stable, a new-ish restaurant located at 1821 Cherokee (at Lemp) in south St. Louis.

Also showing is work from the photographer Hilary Hitchcock and the painter Dana Smith.

The show will be up through December 31.

Two Contemplations of Olivier Messiaen

T. Renner, "Contemplation of Olivier Messiaen #1," 2008, acrylic on paper, 7" x 5".



T. Renner, "Contemplation of Olivier Messiaen #2," 2008, acrylic on paper, 7" x 5".

Floating Space Mountain (for Sun Ra)

T. Renner, "Floating Space Mountain (for Sun Ra)," 2008, acrylic on coated card stock, 6" x 4".

Summertime!

Improvisation for Charlie Parker, Update

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Charlie Parker," 2008, acrylic on paper, 7" x 5".

Another painting I don't really remember painting. Dang.

Worse, I'm not sure I know where the original painting is. Double dang.

Note: Found it!

Art for Learn, Artist! "A Compendium" CD-R

T. Renner, "Artwork for Learn, Artist "A Compendium CD-R," booklet and jewel case insert, 2008, acrylic on printed paper.

You can listen to the holiday classics "Joy to the World" and "Silent Night" as performed by Learn, Artist! by clicking here. Happy holidays!

Two Improvisations for Willum

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Willum #1," 2008, oil on paper, 7" x 5".


T. Renner, "Improvisation for Willum #2," 2008, oil on paper, 7" x 5"

Willum is a MySpace friend who expressed interest in some of my paintings earlier this year. I immediately promised to pop something in the mail to him. I, of course, never managed to get around to it. 'Til now, that is. I'm posting these images here and putting the postcards in the mail to "Bellamour Way, Colton, Staffs." tomorrow!

Improvisation for Alex Herzog

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Alex Herzog," 2008, acrylic on canvas, 8" x 10".

Alex Herzog is a Swiss artist who had a piece in the recent "Immediate Touch" exhibition at the St. Louis Art Museum.

Click here to visit Alex's web site. Note: You have to scroll down within the "artists' net" frame to view photos of Alex's work.

Artwork for Another Poison Rat R. CD

T. Renner, "Artwork for Poison Rat R. vs. Kenji Siratori CD #5, front 2 panels" 2008, acrylic on printed paper.


T. Renner, "Artwork for Poison Rat R. vs. Kenji Siratori CD #5, back 2 panels" 2008, acrylic on printed paper.


T. Renner, "Artwork for Poison Rat R. vs. Kenji Siratori CD #5, jewel case insert" 2008, acrylic on paper.

I sent this copy of the Poison Rat R. vs. Kenji Siratori CD to Mike McGonigal, editor and publisher of the great magazine Yeti.

Originally posted on December 8, 2008.

Poison Rat R. vs. Kenji Siratori CD Artwork

T. Renner, "Artwork for Poison Rat R. vs. Kenji Siratori CD, front 2 panels" 2008, acrylic on printed paper.


T. Renner, "Artwork for Poison Rat R. vs. Kenji Siratori CD, back 2 panels" 2008, acrylic on printed paper.


T. Renner, "Artwork for Poison Rat R. vs. Kenji Siratori CD, jewel case insert" 2008, acrylic on printed paper.

On Friday, I saw Anthony Huberman, chief curator of the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis give a lecture at Webster University. I was so entertained and inspired by the lecture that decided that I would give Huberman a copy of a CD I made (as Poison Rat R.) in collaboration with the Japanese cyber-punk writer Kenji Siratori. You can hear our work by clicking here.

More Variations for Anthony Braxton

T. Renner, Variation for Anthony Braxton #3," 2008, acrylic on paper, 5" x 7".


T. Renner, Variation for Anthony Braxton #4," 2008, acrylic on paper, 5" x 7".


T. Renner, Variation for Anthony Braxton #5," 2008, acrylic on paper, 5" x 7".

These three pieces will be on display as part of the exhibition "Works on Paper (Chance)" on display from January 16 through March 15 at Subterranean Books, 6275 Delmar in the heart of the Loop in University City, Missouri.

Improvisation for Ornette Coleman #4 (detail)

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Ornette Coleman #4 (detail), 2008, oil on canvas, (16" x 20" complete).

Improvisation for Paul Desmond #2

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Paul Desmond #2," 2008, acrylic on paper, 7" x 5".

Two Variations for Anthony Braxton

T. Renner, "Variation for Anthony Braxton #1," 2008, acrylic on paper, 7" x 5".


T. Renner, "Variation for Anthony Braxton #2," 2008, acrylic on paper, 7" x 5".

Portrait of Miles Davis, circa 1975

T. Renner, "Portrait of Miles Davis, circa 1975," 2008, acrylic on paper, 5" x 7".

Two Painted Photographs

T. Renner, "For Cindy Sherman," 2008, acrylic on photo, 4" x 6".


T. Renner, "For Man Ray," 2008, acrylic on photo, 6" x 4".

"What Noisy Cats Are We #'s 3 & 6"

T. Renner, "What Noisy Cats Are We #3," 2008, acrylic on printed paper, 4.75" x 4.75".


T. Renner, "What Noisy Cats Are We #6," 2008, acrylic on printed paper, 4.75" x 4.75".

Improvisation for Andrew Hill

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Andrew Hill," 2008, acrylic on paper, 7" x 5".

"What Noisy Cats Are We #1"

T. Renner, "What Noisy Cats Are We #1," 2008, acrylic on printed paper, 4.75" x 4.75".

The above is one of the twelve panels in a two-sided work (on a cd booklet) called "What Noisy Cats Are We."

I had been planning on just giving it away with a live recording of R.E.M. from 1982 but it came out so well I'm now thinking about keeping it and displaying it at some point.

Additional panels will be posted over the coming days. Stay tuned.

Improvisation for Peter Brotzmann

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Peter Brotzmann," 2007, acrylic on paper, 5.5" x 4.25".

This is a postcard that I mailed off to someone but I can't remember to whom! I like it very much, especially the fact that everything isn't all smeared and smushed together. I need to revisit this style on a larger canvas.

3 Artists Upstairs at the Stable

T. Renner, "Assemblage for Bill Frisell #2," 2008, acrylic, graphite, ink, on masking tape, on paper, 11" x 11".

Well, I'm finished with all six pieces for my contribution to a group art show in the "gallery" located on the second floor of the Stable, a new-ish restaurant located at 1821 Cherokee (at Lemp) in south St. Louis.

Also showing will be the photographer Hilary Hitchcock and the painter Dana Smith.

The show will be hung on Tuesday [the Stable is closed on Mondays], November 25, and will be up through December 31.

Note: Generally the titles for my paintings are arbitrarily chosen but today as I was working I was listening to a great album by the guitarist Bill Frisell called History, Mystery.

Poetry Scores Art Invitational: "Nailed Seraphim: 'Mortice caught on fire'"

T. Renner, "Nailed Seraphim: 'Mortice caught on fire,'" 2008, gouache on paper, 4" x 6".

On Saturday, I dropped off my contribution to the Poetry Scores Art Invitational at Hoffman LaChance gallery. The work so far from the other participants is very, very cool. Looking forward very much to seeing all the pieces hanging in the gallery.

Here's the invitation to participate that I received a ways back:

The poem "Nailed Seraphim" by K. Curtis Lyle is the subject of the 2008 Poetry Scores Art Invitational, to be held Friday, November 21, 6:00 to 10:00 p.m., at Hoffman LaChance Contemporary, 3100 Sutton Boulevard in Maplewood, with free beer partly donated by Schlafly.

A copy of "Nailed Seraphim" is available on the poet’s blog by clicking here.

The assignment: make a new piece of art that responds to "Nailed Seraphim" and is named after a verbatim scrap of language from the poem. In the past, we have tried to limit the show to stuff you can hang on the wall or easily stand up in the space, but there are no strict limits –- other than that we have to fit everything into Hoffman LaChance, and we are inviting something like 40 artists. This means we hope at least some artists work small –- but, in past years, we have proudly shown some monumental pieces at the art invitational.

The organizer of the Poetry Scores Art Invitational, Chris King, adds:

All art at the invitational will be on sale in a silent auction setting, with starting bids set by the artists (and set low). Every year, this makes for steals.

The minimum bid for "'Mortice caught on fire'" -- framed and matted, by the way -- is $25. Did I hear someone say "a steal"?

Improvisation for Bud Powell

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Bud Powell," 2008, acrylic on paper, 5" x 7".

Portrait of Charles Mingus

T. Renner, "Portrait of Charles Mingus," 2008, acrylic on paper, 5" x 7".

Too Many Paintings?

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Calexico," 2008, acrylic on paper, 7" x 5".

You know, I think maybe I paint too many of these darned things. I found this one this morning while looking for my contribution to the Poetry Scores Art Invitational. I honestly have no memory of painting it. I like it, and I can identify it as being my style, but I sure don't remember painting it.

Kick Ass Radio

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Annie Z.," 2008, acrylic on paper, 7" x 5".

"Radio," sang Elvis Costello, "is in the hands of a lot of fools." Well, yeah, but not tonight from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. as I filled in for Annie Z. on FM 88.1's "International Pop Overthrow."

I showed up at the station with exactly zero cds and did the whole two hours using music from the new release shelves with a few choice nuggets from the archives to spice things up.

You can check out the playlist and listen to the show via the miracle of streaming audio by clicking here.